*Hugs* From what I read in your journal, you're a very sweet person and you don't do things intentionally to hurt people. I think the way Kathy handled this was wrong. She shouldn't have addressed it while at lunch in a public setting and get pissy when you tried to explain why you don't say thank you. Some people aren't always good with words and sometimes actions matter more. If you look happy and smile by someone's gesture, that's good enough for me.

As for whoever spoke about you behind their back...if they have an issue with you, they should come to you. Kathy shouldn't try to intervene. And to be honest, I get the feeling (since I'm an empath) that she may have claimed someone did that when she was just trying to add more to her justification of why she was mad at you for not saying thank you.